SUKKUR, Nov 23: The Naib Nazim, Sukkur District, Iqbal Pakwala, issued showcause notices against 124 employees of the Sukkur Municipal Corporation (SMC) whom he found absent from duty on a surprise visit there on Friday.

Mr Pakwala also seized the attendance register of the corporation so that the absent employees could not mark themselves present.

He directed the DCO, Sukkur, Nisar Ahmed Siddiqi, to take appropriate action against all the employees.

However, Taluka Nazim Syed Kazim Ali Shah took serious notice of the issuance of showcause notices in bulk and termed Mr Pakwala’s action as interference in the SMC’s affairs, which he was not entitled to.

He had earlier protested against the suspension of six sanitary inspectors who had been suspended by Mr Pakwala on the same grounds.

Mr Pakwala told reporters that his action against the SMC employees was appropriate as there were many complaints against them.

The controversy has divided Nazims and Counsellors into two groups, which is badly shaking up the district government system.